West Liberty University kicked off its first ever Science Summit Monday, July 26th at Oglebay Resort.
The Summit is part of an effort to generate ideas that will foster the expansion of the West Liberty University College of Sciences.
“In science, you have to keep up – you cannot fall behind,” President Robin Capehart said during a special dinner featuring alumni, faculty members and current students. “We need a signature academic building.”
The State of West Virginia is planning a major bond issue and has tabbed a new science building at West Liberty the top priority among proposed new construction in higher education in West Virginia. The bond issue would secure 12 million of the near 20 million WLU is hoping to secure for the effort.
As part of the effort to increase public support for the new center, the university is enlisting the help of some distinguished alumni, including Gerald Crabtree, Larry Moreland and Philip Stahl. All serve as prominent professors in their fields at Stanford University, the University of Alabama-Birmingham and Washington University in St. Louis, Mo., respectively.
“It is a major challenge, but an important one,” said Crabtree regarding West Liberty’s efforts. “The current economic climate makes money for research difficult to obtain.”
The Science Summit will continues through Tuesday at Oglebay Resort.